My daughter is 5 and we started kindergarten this year. Everyone keeps telling me kindergarten is fun with lots of activities and hands-on learning...which sounds great! But, we aren't having much fun...in fact several days have ended in tears...for me and for my daughter. And I hate that! We are currently using the ACE curriculum and I don't think it's working for us. Basically I read her a bunch of stuff and then she does workbook pages. There are arts but basically just cut and glue type stuff. Is it possible to switch curriculum in the middle of the year? I think we could do so much better with something else, but I'm new and I'm still figuring out what I am doing. : / I don't know how to change or what to do about staying with-in state regulations. If anyone has any suggestions, please please help me out. Thanks. Danielle
YES, Danielle! It's not only possible but sometimes advisable to switch curriculum in the middle of the year! There are tons of things free on the internet for K level. Letters, numbers, science topics... You can "do" kindy just by reading while cuddling on the couch, and the occasional free worksheet, WalMart workbook, and playing with her toys, and such. Examples: Math. Teach colors, shapes, patterns, etc., by using her own toys, even while picking up and putting away. Count while doing dishes or setting the table. Teach time and calendar (and counting) just by looking at the clock and the calendar every day, taking note of appointments days, what time a favorite show comes on tv and how long it lasts (if you have tv), and what time things happen at your house. Getting up, breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime, etc. How many, more/less, ordinal numbers (line up some toys, what's first, second, third, etc.) What if we add one more? What if we take two away? Now how many? Teach money by using real money and playing "store", and going shopping. Teach weather by looking outside, and using library books, talking about what clothes for today's weather and such. Teach science by growing seeds, taking nature walks in the neighborhood or park and observing changes in the plants and animals you see. Teach geography by making a map of her own room, your house, your house and yard, the park, your neighborhood. Teach social studies by talking about holidays, community helpers (jobs), laws (why we have to stop at stop signs). Teach product safety with just about everything you use at home during a day. Measure when you do laundry and cook/bake. Laundry has SO many lessons! Matching, sorting by color, size, use, who it belongs to. Folding towels and washcloths can teach fractions (fold in half, then in quarters, or thirds), and fixing lunch can also teach fractions (cut in half, quarters, thirds - did you realize that if you cut a slice of banana, the "disc" will break into even thirds?). Learning letters and reading can come so naturally with educational tv/videos - I'm thinking of Word World, Word Girl, Between the Lions, and Electric Company (the oldest ones!). Leap Frog toys and dvds, www.starfall.com and other sites. You could just do all this "playing" and just use the ACE stuff as worksheets when you think you need some (not to waste what you've already bought).
(((hugs to you!))) Just wanted to encourage you. Can't tell you how many times I had to change things midstream, especially early on. I got clear through March with my dd in K using a phonics workbook. She struggled, but she did what I asked her to. One day she looked up at me and said, "OH! Letters make sooouuunds!" After coming to from bonking myself in the head, I got my hands on a different reading curriculum (Explode the Code) and she took right off with it. For early elementary, we only did formal curriculum for math and reading. Everything else we learned through the kids' natural curiosity with nature, art, history, etc. If you are doing workbooks for multiple subjects each day, the quantity of seat work might be the problem. You will figure out what works for you and your child. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.
This is my 5th year, and I still frequently tweak things that aren't working. Kindergarten is the most forgiving year as far as learning from your mistakes. I don't know what state you are in, but if she's just 5, you may not be required to do anything for the state. Most states don't require anything until they are 6. IMO, workbooks are not the best way to instill interest in learning. My kids and I have had a lot of fun with Heart of Dakota curriculum, but it's strongly Christian, not sure how you feel about that. Even if you can't spend the money on a whole new curriculum, take a look at their website and get some ideas on books you can find at the library. Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
First- I taught first grade to my dd last year with only wal-mart books, a guide to teaching phonics, and .... lots of internet sources. That's it. If I managed that for 1st, you can DEFINITELY do something similar for K. There are SO SO SO many free sources online! You aren't locked into reading something, then a worksheet, to teach numbers and letters. Anything creative you can come up with will work for that. Here's a fun website that I used quite a bit last year, and still use occasionally: http://dltk-kids.com/ but there are MANY MANY more out there. (((hugs)))
There are tonnes of freebies online for that age group. Just think of something and google it along with the word homeschool. You will have so much more to pick from. Don't cry it's not suppose to be such a struggle. And in Kinder its really too early for some to do many worksheets. Go for more fun science experiments, play with water for wieghts and measures, I recall I spent a whole week on learning all about chocolate when I started with my son. Nary a worksheet and not much work just a lot of fun making ourselves gorge on candy. Mini mm's are great for counting!
In addition to being ABLE to switch, you probably should. The last thing you want is for your little one to have a miserable impression of school based on what should be the most fun year ever!
Yes, what everyone else has said. If it's not working for you switch. Kindergarten should be fun and exciting. There are a ton of free stuff that you can find online. I found a some really good ones for a friend who is homeschooling her 4 year old this year. Keep your chin up, dry your eyes, eat some chocolate, and start planning an exciting school year for your daughter. We're here to help if you get stumped.
i have to agree. no need for both of you to suffer. every time it seems to get rough, i take that as a sign that something isn't working and we NEED to tweak. i have a kindergartner too, mostly we are working on one math workbook with her, lots of couch reading, and 100 easy lessons to teach your child to read. and she will do the story of world activities with her brother. that is all. good luck. and one thing i learned last year (our first) is that reading our children is equally important to making homeschooling fun for all most of the time. jen
Wow! You guys are awesome! Thank you all for your advice and encouragement. I am feeling so much better about switching her mid stream. We will definitely be doing that. I had no idea there were so many free printables and resources, etc. out there. And I'm looking at the curriculum guides some of you mentioned to see what may work best for us. I ran across the Sing, Spell, Read and Write LA program. Have any of you tried that one? Thanks again
Switch! Go for it and never look back. BUT don't switch to another whole package deal in kindergarten (or ever if you are like a lot of us). For your child's age, just cover the basics and I would do it with as few worksheets as possible. I would use everyday life to discover other thinks and library books. The problem with package curriculum is that many people feel that they have to follow the plan to a "T". This leads to guilt and misery for the parent and the child. Learning can happen without a plan similar to a school's plan. In fact, it may be more likely to happen without a school-like plan.
